The Church is the Israel of God:
1.
Matthew 21:43: Jesus warns the Jewish leaders that the kingdom will be taken from them and given to a new people.
2.
Luke 21:24: Jesus prophesies that Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
3.
Romans 11:25: Paul writes that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in.
4.
Galatians 6:16: Paul refers to the Church as the "Israel of God".
5.
Ephesians 2:11-22: Paul describes Gentile believers as being grafted into the olive tree of Israel, making them part of the same spiritual entity.
6.
1 Peter 2:9-10: Peter addresses the Church as a "chosen people", "royal priesthood", and "holy nation", applying Old Testament Israelite language to the Church.
7.
Galatians 3:28: Paul writes, "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
History:
1. Destruction of Jerusalem (70 AD): The Roman Empire destroyed Jerusalem, the Temple, and the Jewish state, ending Jewish political autonomy.
2. Diaspora: The Jewish people were scattered throughout the world, losing their national identity and political unity.
3. Rabbinic Judaism: After 70 AD, Judaism transitioned from a Temple-centric to a rabbinic, synagogue-based religion, marking a significant shift away from national identity.
Science (Archaeology, Demography, and DNA):
1. Archaeological evidence: Excavations in Israel confirm the destruction of Jewish cities and the absence of Jewish presence after 70 AD.
2. Demographic decline: Historical records indicate a significant decline in the Jewish population in the region after 70 AD.
3. DNA evidence: Genetic studies have shown that:
- Modern Jewish populations have significant genetic admixture from various regions, making genealogical tracing unlikely.
- The Diaspora led to extensive intermarriage and assimilation, diluting the genetic distinctiveness of the Jewish people.
- DNA analysis reveals that many modern Jews have more in common genetically with their local non-Jewish populations than with other Jewish groups.
This cumulative evidence suggests that:
- National Israel did not continue to exist after 70 AD.
- The Church has become the spiritual continuation of Israel, inheriting the promises and covenants.
- Through Pentecost, all people - Jew and Gentile, male and female - have been united in one body in Christ, transcending ethnic and national divisions.
- The Diaspora has rendered genealogical tracing of the original Israelites highly unlikely.
Note: This perspective emphasizes the unity of all believers in Christ, rather than replacement or supersession.